Thomas binnie e alston



(No Model.) v T..B. RALsToN.

TARGET AND INDIOATING- DEVICE THEREFOR.

f No. 381,028. Patefit-edAprfilO, 1883 u. PETERS. mum w. vimm o. a

UNITED ST ES THOMAS BINNIE RAIJSTON, on BOTHWELL', coonrv or LANARK, soorLANn; TARGET AND ,INDICATIING DEVICE TH EREFO'R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,028, dated'April 10, 1888.

PATENT Onricn. 1

Application filed January 3, 188i?- Scrial No. 259,591. (No model.) Patented in England August 2:2, 1887, No. 11,423. I

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, THOMAS BINNIE RALS- troN, a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Bothwell, in 5 the county ofLanark, Scotland, have invented new and useful Improvementsin and Relating to Targets for Rifle Practice; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, whichwill to enable others skilled inthe manufacture or art to which itrelates to make and use the saine, and that the said improvements have been J5 bered11,423.

Thisinvention relates to targetsfor rifle practice of the class in which the part of the target whereon the values are indicated is capable of being moved, or swung down in rear no of the markers mantelel; for patchingpurposes or for painting out shot-marks. With such targets as hitherto constructed it is necessary to excavate a trench or space behind the marker s mautelet for the reception of the 2 5 target when brought down, or to erect protecting mounds or butts. of considerable height.

, The present invention has partly for its object to so carry and operate the target that, while it is equally applicable where a trench, 3o excavation, ,or protecting mounds or butts can t be had, it isbetter adapted than formerly for use on flat ground. l

The invention has further for its object the provision of improved arrangements for signaling the value of the shot in conjunction I with such targets.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is v a front elevation of the improved target in its raised or highest position. Fig. 2 is an eleva- 40 tion with the target lowered. Fig. 3 isv an.

elevation looking from the end marked X, Fig.

1. Fig. 4 is a plan'of the apparatus.

In carrying the invention into practice I secure the target or surface A, which is to be shot at, and which is preferably made of stretched canvas, upon'a rectangular or other frame, B,

which is in its turn bolted or otherwise secured to a frame, 0, centered upon a shaft, D, extending horizontally rearward at right angles to the plane of the target. The shaft D is supported upon vertical standards E, which, at

their lower ends, arebolted, clamp-ed, or other I wisesecured' to a base, F,struts or bracesG being employed in addition to the said 'con nectionwhen'necessary to give extra stiffness 5 5 p or rigidity. The lower armor part of the i frameO has an adjustable back balanceweight, H, pinned toit, and it is also furnished with a catch, a, Fig. 3,with which a hook-or latch,

b, formed on the forward end of a'leve'r',c, en- 50 I gages to maintain the target A in its raised position. The lever c is centered upon one of the vertical standards E, and insteadofbei-ng a hand-lever, as shown, it may have a treadle at its end nearest the marker,'or. be otherwise so arranged that it can be operated by his foot 7 when it is desired to release the target A. When the targethas been struck and it is desired to patch itor to obliterate the value" 7 of the shot, the leverc is sooperatedaslto re- 7o lease the hook or latch. b from the catch a,which being done, the target, overcoming'the coun terpoise H, swings downward inthedirec'tiofi of. the arrow, Fig. 1, through'a quadrant, and until another catch, (1, on the frameOcornes 1 opposite and is caught by the hook of the lever c, the target being then behind theemarkers v mantelet and in the position shown by Fig. 2, when itmay be patched orhave the mark, of

the shot otherwise obliterated. T This being so I done, the lever c isagain operated torelease its hook or Latch from the catch d, when the. counterpoise-weight H swings the targetpartially upward, the raising of it to its vertical or firing position being completed bythe marker ,8 5 taking hold of the frame C-or other convenientpart. .1 To signal the value of the shots, thereisprovided, inconjunction with the target,an'improved indicating arrangement consisting of 0 a frame, I, mounted upon a shaft, J, whichis laidvparallel to the shaft D and supported by the standards E, the shafts D and J, being geared together at one end by spur-'wheelsf.

The frame I has an adjustable counterpoise-- weight, K, and it also carries on a rod or spindle, g, two smaller frames, L M, the normal position of which is at right angles ;to the frames 1 and O-that is to say, parallel tothe shafts D J, The frames L M, which are filled :00 I

in so as, to present solid flat surfaces,-have their opposite sides painted diflerentcolors,

and the colors of the frame L are different from those of the frame M, the four colors indicating the four several values of a shot on the target. v

Each frame L M has connected to it two springs, h i, the action of which is to maintain the frames in their normal positions. When the target A has been struck, one of the frames L M is turned against the action of its springs until it lies parallel with the frame I, and presents in the direction of the marksman its side having-the color indicative of the value of the shot, in which position the said frame L or M is held by any suitable catch. This operation is performed previous to swinging down the target, as before set forth, so that immediately the target is swung down the frame I risesto the position shown by Fig. 2 and indicates the value of the shot to the marksman.

Instead of the indicating apparatus herein- .before described, the signals may be made with ordinary hand-disks, or with other convenient indicators.

Having now particularly described the invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a target for rifle practice, the combination,with the frame carrying the target and pivoted to a standard, of a lever mounted on the standard, and projections, substantially as described,on the frame, adapted to be engaged by said lever for maintaining the said frame in elevated or lowered position, as set forth;

2. In a target for rifle practice, the combination, with the swinging frame mounted on a standard and having projections a d, of a lever fulcrumed on the standard for engaging said projections, and a counterpoise mounted on the frame for controlling its movement,

substantially in the manner set forth.

3. In a target for rifle practice, the combi-' nation, with two frames swinging across the line of fire and each mounted on a shaft supported on a standard, of gear-wheels secured on said shafts and intermeshing,whereby said frames are made to move simultaneously, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a target for rifle practice,-the signaling-frame I, furnished with two swinging indicating boards or disks, L M, lying normally go at right angles to the frame and capable of being turned and held parallel with it, thesaid frame being also provided with a counterpoise, K, which when the frame is released from its lowered position swings it partially upward, substantially as described.

5. In atarget for rifle practice, the combination of a target-frame and a signaling-frame pivoted ona standard and connected together to operate reciprocally at the same time by means of intermeshing gear-wheels mounted on said frames, substantially in the manner herein set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 10th day of December, 1887 rnos. BINNIE RALS'ION. [a s] 

